Ukrainian Orthodox Church. How to obtain autocephaly?

Ukrainian Orthodox Church: to return the lost

More than 330 years ago, during May-June 1686, Kyiv Metropolis illegally was subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate. And then began a process that continues till now: Orthodoxy division in Ukraine into Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchy) and Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchy). The division between those who want to return to the historical truth, and those who have their own ‘truth’ without which their world-view will fall apart.

Who has presented the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to Moscow?

The ‘permission’ for the Kyiv Metropolis transfer under control of Moscow was given by the Patriarch of Constantinople Dionysius IV. For Ukrainian Church sale he received from Moscow tsar 200 coins and ‘three forties of sables’. Patriarch’s Dionysius unauthorized actions were immediately condemned in world Orthodoxy, and for his action he was deprived of the patriarchal throne, which he held just some 2 months. And during such a short term the patriarch Dionysius had time to sell Church, which since 862 was under the jurisdiction of its Mother Church — Constantinople.

Patriarchs of Constantinople have repeatedly criticized the event in 1686, even hundreds of years later. So, in 1924, the Patriarch Gregory VII wrote approximately the following: ‘The Kyiv Metropolis separation, as well as Metropolises of Poland and Lithuania (they were under the Kyiv Metropolis rule — ed.) was made not in compliance with canonical rules’. Metropolises introduction to the Moscow Church was declared by the Patriarch as illegal.

The same was stated by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, calling this act of 1686 as ‘annexation’. He told about it in Kyiv City on the Sofia square in 2008, giving quite clear and understandable statements.

Hope for the whole nation

These days on Crete Pan-Orthodox Council takes place, where (fairly) the number one question is Ukrainian issue resolution (Ukrainian Orthodox Church issue) – to return the lost. To return the historical justice, to correct Patriarch’s Dionysius error, to implement the desire of millions of Ukrainians who deliberately want to have in Ukraine the United Church with the center in Kyiv City but not in Moscow (as in the case of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate).

Orthodox in Ukraine Sophia Cathedral Photo

The desire to have Local Ukrainian Church is voiced by Ukrainian Parliament, Ukrainian World Congress, the religious of Kyiv Patriarchate UOC, which is about 14 million Ukrainians (40% of conscious population of Ukraine). People aspire. God sees. The truth will win. As Svyatoslav Vakarchuk sang in his new song: ‘We continue to move forward … We continue coming up our Everest’.